Mingus Union High School drafting and shop teacher Duane Badger retired July 1, after taking four students to the national SkillsUSA competition, where a team of three students placed second in the engineering category.

After finishing first in the engineering category at the state level, the MUHS team of Andrew Hickey, Jorge Padilla and Jonathan Witt placed second in the country with their version of an energy-saving, low-emissions rotary engine, while state drafting champion Lucas Meredith took` 11th at the national level.

“That’s the highest anyone from Mingus ever placed in SkillsUSA,” Badger said of the engineering team’s high finish. “We actually thought we might have won, but it was extremely close.”

After 22 years working at Mingus, Badger said this year’s group was the kind that makes teaching worthwhile.

“It almost makes me not want to retire. What a great group of kids I had this year. I had them since they were freshmen. We went out on top in the state and pretty high nationally.”

For the full story, see the Wednesday, July 11, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.